Christmas may be over, but why we celebrate is true all year! 

We read about the heavenly host joining the angels to rejoice as they announce the coming of the Messiah. But do we stop long enough to consider what it really means when they declare “peace on earth”? Today, Pastor Dave Ross joins us to explain why this is one of his favorite parts of the Christmas story… and the reason might just surprise you!

Read Luke 2

When we encounter genealogies in the Bible, it’s easy to glaze over long columns of difficult-to-pronounce names. But today, Pastor David Harrop is explaining why the genealogy of Jesus brings so much depth to the Christmas story that we might just miss if we pass it by. 

Read Matthew 1

Listen in as Tammy McDaniel reflects on Like 2:19—what it must have felt like to ponder and meditate on the miraculous things God was doing, while still sitting in so many unknowns. 

Read Luke 2

Join host, Monica Kirsch, and Director of K-4 Ministries, Kylie Martin, as they reflect on what the announcement of the coming of Christ must have felt like after 400 years of perceived silence. 

Passages referenced in this episode: 

Luke 2

Matthew 2

Is what you’re feeling guilt—or shame? In this episode, Pastoral Counselors, George May & Chris Torchia, unpack how these emotions shape our lives, relationships, and healing, and share tools for moving from paralyzing shame to growth-driven guilt. We also explore how the gospel not only frees us from guilt but restores our identity and belonging as beloved children of God.

Resources for Further Growth:

The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson

Shame Interrupted by Ed Welch

Each of us has likely experienced loss in one way or another. The process of grieving those losses looks different for everyone, but what remains true is that God promises to walk through those valleys of grief with us.

Rebekah is no stranger to grief. When her son, Dagan, passed away suddenly at age 23, Rebekah’s world was flipped upside down. Today, she is so generously sharing her story—one filled with evidence that, while the sting of loss never quite goes away, God still works even in the midst of darkness and tragedy.

Resources for Further Growth:

GriefShare

Loss of Spouse GriefShare

Experiencing Grief by H. Norman Wright

Journeying Through Grief (Four-Book Series by Stephen’s Ministries)

Today, Pastor George May, Chris Torchia, and Greg Schmalhofer are unpacking the struggle with addiction. Whether you or someone you know wrestles with addiction, or you’ve ever found yourself turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the heaviness of life, this episode is for you! We’ll talk about what it’s like for someone experiencing addiction, how different addictions can present themselves, and ultimately how to approach this struggle from a biblical point of view so that we can find hope and support for recovery. No matter how you might find yourself relating to the topic of addiction, you are not alone! 

Resources for Further Growth: 

-       Check out Greg’s Ministry at hoperecovery.us

-       Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel by Ed Welch

-       Good News for the Chemically Dependent and Those Who Love Them by Jeff VanVonderan

-       Calvary’s support group, Grace & Hope, meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:00pm.

Since childhood, Mike has struggled with anxiety and depression. Throughout the years, that struggle has presented itself in different ways, and he has walked through both good seasons and hard seasons. When Mike married Julie, she entered into the battle with him and began to understand struggles of mental health in a new light. Today, Mike and Julie—along with Pastoral Counseling Associate, Chris Torchia—are sharing both their story and insight. But ultimately, they are reminding us that there is hope to be found in the grace of Jesus, even on the hardest days.

Caryl Roper is Calvary’s newest Pastoral Counseling Associate. While she’s new to the team, she has been working in private practice for many years and has been a longtime member of the church. Caryl is typically the person that is genuinely curious and inquisitive of other people’s lives, but today she’s allowing us to turn the tables and hear about her life. Caryl’s testimony and passion for her vocation draw us straight to the heart of God, as she reminds us that we’re created for relationship—both with others and our Creator.

After relocating from Boston to Lancaster in 2024, Jason Smith joined Calvary’s staff as a Worship Associate, primarily focusing on our environments for youth and young adults. Today he’s not only sharing his story of faith, but about the ways he and his family have seen God direct them in ministry over the last several years, what it’s looked like to obediently follow Him, and how he’s learned about slowing down in the process.